Patch bags have for some time been used for the packaging of bone-in meat products. Patch bags typically comprise a bag having one or more patches thereover, the patches providing the bag with additional protection against puncture by a bone in a bone-in meat product packaged in the bag.
Some patch bags have been end-seal bags having a “factory seal” across the bottom of the bag, the seal being through a region of the bag which is not covered by the patch. The factory seal is made through an uncovered region of the bag because of difficulties in obtaining a strong seal through both the patch and the bag. However, this uncovered region adjacent the end-seal is especially subject to being punctured by a bone if the particular bone-in meat cut has bone which contacts this uncovered region. It would be desirable to provide patch coverage down to the bottom seal.
One method of providing patch coverage at the bottom of the bag is to provide a secondary seal which is through the patches and the bag, with a primary seal which is through only the bag, i.e., below the supplemental seal. Preferably the secondary seal is an intermittent seal, so that vacuum can be applied to the region between the primary seal and the supplemental seal.